I'm not one to ever leave reviews but I had to come on here with my personal experience. I'll be…read morehonest--I wasn't initially on board with homeschooling, and it was hard for me to wrap my brain around taking this path. But I am SO thankful we did. Our son has gained so much confidence, and it has been amazing to watch his personal growth. Even more importantly, his health has improved in his time here. He was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood epilepsy, and in the short time he has been at I Can Academy, we have seen his seizure activity cut in half. I believe this is due to a few factors including the positive environment and less stress. We are incredibly grateful for the support, understanding, and positive environment he has received. The teachers are amazing. A few of them are teachers my children have had in the past which made for an easy transition for my son. I hope our experience helps another mom who may be on the fence about homeschooling, just like I was, because for our family, the benefits have by far outweighed any of the negative ideas I had in my head.

We registered our 5-year-old daughter for a reading class when she expressed interest in learning…read morehow to read, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. The office staff was so warm and welcoming, and our daughter loved picking out her supplies to create her own I Can Academy bag. Her teacher was incredibly kind and created such a positive, engaging learning atmosphere. During the class, I even heard my daughter shout, "I can read!" When it ended, she was smiling and excited to bring home new flash cards to practice blending sounds. A few days later, she had an assessment at a private school for kindergarten, which included sounding out letters and blending them. She did so well--and I couldn't believe how quickly the lessons from the academy had already made an impact. This is absolutely the place to go if you want a warm, child-first learning experience. We highly recommend it!

I went here in the late 70's , great teachers & staff, from the Los alisos Jr high, wow memories,…read more anyone else went to Cresent bay in the summer

This school and the staff members here are so awesome. My son has been attending speech therapy…read morehere for the last year, and he LOVES going. He talks about his teachers all the time! The speech therapists here are SO kind and friendly and really work with him in a FUN way. He's improved his speech so much, that he met his yearly goal a few months early! Thank you so much Miss Robyn and Miss Heather and the other loving therapists that have been working with him. You guys are the best!

My son is a 6-year-old autistic boy, and we received a referral from his SDC classmates for a…read moreprogram that claims to support "SPECIAL Education" and dyslexia. However, this claim is not accurate. The director suggested a virtual assessment, but I mentioned that it might be challenging for him. She assured me it would be a quick 30 minutes, so we went ahead with it. My son was able to read some high-frequency sight words and even sat through the entire 30 minutes. However, he struggled to answer some phonics questions due to his delayed language skills. Ultimately, the director concluded that he was not a good fit for their program. A few days later, they recommended their homeschooling program. I felt discriminated against by their response. I don't understand why my son's SDC friend can receive their tutoring services, but my son cannot. They should not advertise their program as being for learning differences when it seems to be more about selling worksheets to make money. I am very disappointed.

My son started the Pride reading program a few months ago and we have already seen a significant…read moreimprovement in his reading. He is always so excited to see his tutor, Ms. Carol. Our family appreciates all of her hard work and the care and patience she shows our child. I highly recommend Ms. Carol and the Pride program if your child needs a little extra help.

We love Pathway! My daughter is in 8th grade this year and we have been going to Pathway for the…read morepast 3 years. She has blossomed and grew in her confidence and academics greatly. Such a loving and supportive community! Highly recommended to any family with kids who need alternatives to learn and grow!

Pathway School has truly been a gift and a blessing for our son…read more He entered Pathway in 5th grade after attending public school, where he struggled with ADHD, dyslexia, slow processing, and orthographia. Traditional classrooms often left him feeling frustrated and unseen, and his confidence in reading and learning continued to suffer. Since joining Pathway, everything has changed. Their personalized learning approach, combined with small class sizes and genuine care, has helped him improve his reading by four levels over just two years. More importantly, he feels seen, heard, and encouraged to embrace exactly who he was designed to be. We're especially grateful for the school's strong Christian foundation and values. Every teacher, aide, and staff member leads with compassion and a heart for these precious children. Pathway also does an exceptional job partnering with parents, offering regular, transparent communication about his growth and progress. We give Pathway our highest recommendation--it has been truly life-changing for our family.

We were referred to Paula years ago when we were struggling with our son's specific school based…read moreneeds.We have consulted with her on numerous occasions over the years to ensure his academic success. Even though we are not in the same city or district, she is exceptional with remote consultation. Paula has a wealth of knowledge, patiently listens to our concerns, and professionally answers our endless questions. She is very thorough in reviewing all the paperwork, explaining the nuances of the tests performed, and teaching us how to integrate with our son's school . Her passion and expertise have been a tremendous asset for our family.

From the owner: Are you tired of navigating special education for your child with learning differences? You may…read moreneed a special education consultant. 10% of my fee goes to nonprofits.

We started this year in TK, so we have been in this school for about 6 months now. I have to say,…read morewe love it. Now let me just start by saying, this school is different and I truly feel lucky that we got in. Also, I have to say this school might not be attractive to every parent ok.... Please take the intake seriously, because you could be taking a lottery spot for someone who truly wants to be in a Waldorf school. How would I describe our experience so far ? If you or your kid loves the outdoors (sun, rain, moon, stars, ocean) things that grow and live in gardens, nature walks, learning how to care for Mother Earth, etc. then this is your dream school. If you or your child enjoy playtime in mud, dirt, don't lose your mind over stains, love rain boots, umbrellas, etc. then this is your dream school. If you or your child enjoy all things magical/wholesome make-believe, like fairy tears, knights, puppets etc. then this is your dream school. Ok I think you get the point :). Reminder , this is a review of my experience in the kindergarten program... where my child learned how to write her name, craft, knit, cut vegetables, set the table, do chores, sing songs, explore, pick up worms, and much more. I like and admire our teacher and her aid. They are extremely experienced and are really good with the kids. I don't need to be the teachers best friend, I just need to hear from my child that she loves her and is excellent with the kids, that's all that matters to me, and she is! The school is small, which I love, it feels old fashioned in all the good ways... like in ways that will remind you of your childhood school days. It is truly a Waldorf school, so make sure you research that and know what you are signing up for. I love it for our family, I personally couldn't imagine my child anywhere else. It's a little gem and I'm so glad it exists. Also, there are things they ask for like, no Disney/characters on clothes, no fancy nails, hair color, makeup, stuff that could be competitive/distracting and I'm sooooo grateful for that. They really want them to have this beautiful slow childhood. There are also so many resources for the parents! So if this all sounds lovely to you and your family - Best wishes and good luck on lottery day!!

My child was enrolled for TK/K for about 3 months in 2024, at which point I pulled my child…read more Journey is a bit of a co-op school that relies very heavily on parent participation for campus upkeep, festivals and volunteering - so if you enjoy being really active on a school campus, this school has plenty of opportunities. I throughly enjoyed this aspect. They are Waldorf-inspired and the festivals are charming and educational philosophy enchanting. The time spent outdoors is a gift to young children. The classrooms, or at least the TK room my child was in, was exactly as you'd expect a Waldorf classroom to be set up: low stimulus, intentional, curated to fit the rhythms of the day. The communal table and shared snack and responsibilities (my child came away loving bean soup) are things I fondly remember. But in our brief, but intense experience, this school is neither quipped nor (it seems) interested in becoming equipped to provide meaningful and impactful support to children who are different: neurodivergent, learning differences, or just struggling - even temporarily. It is a school of choice and the position of top level administration, in my opinion, is one of complete indifference in the hopes that doing nothing will get you to leave by choice. Which is what happened with us. And was likely for the best. At orientation they stressed that this school may not be for all families. But my impression is that what they are trying to convey is that it may not be a good fit for families who want, for example, a rigorous academic curriculum, or heavy technology use. What they don't say is that it may not be a good fit for families whose children may struggle - either socially or academically or behaviorally. And I think that is what they need to share. Given that this is a public charter, I'm still sort of amazed that they operate with what seems absolutely no understanding of how to identify and support students who struggle, when all other public schools have pretty typical and standard supports in place. The school also seems to struggle with bullying management - or another way said, they seem to place very low priority on intentionally supporting, in age appropriate ways, social and emotional development and guidance. I was hoping for an inclusive experience for my child but found the opposite. Between what I witnessed on the playground at drop off and what my child shared, teasing and bullying are at best ignored and at worst enabled. For such an aspirational educational program, it felt like the social and emotional development of young humans was totally absent. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time, but the only way I can describe it is it felt like the preservation of childhood was at the expense of who these kids would eventually be as adults. Two years in to attending our local public school, and watching how seriously and intentionally bullying is dealt with (conversely, how much emphasis is placed on social and emotional development and guidance) I feel some guilt for allowing my child to stay here for as long as they did. When we received a spot in the lottery we felt very lucky. The lottery is intense and the waitlists are long. We had high hopes for a positive, experiential introduction to education for our nature loving, inclusive, friendly child at the TK/K level. We committed to a commute that we would not otherwise undertake because of what it seemed to offer. In the end, our nearby public school turned out to be the fit for our child, with services and supports abundantly available when and if needed, and high levels of inclusivity, positivity and interest in the well being and development of future adults.

My daughter has improved in her academic tremendously and the staff at New Vista has been so…read moreamazing and supportive! I couldn't ask for a better school! They truly believe and care about all the students. I highly recommended this NPS (non public school) for those who are looking in the Orange County area. I've looked at many other NPS and this is the most appropriate school for my daughter. Please take a tour and see for yourself how amazing this school is!

3 stars because our son is much better off than he would have been if we had kept him in public…read moreschool. His communication skills are fantastic as are his abilities to relate to people and make friends. What we've come away with, now that he has been out of the school for some time, is that the administration at New Vista teaches a lot of shame. Our son apologizes and feels shame for every little thing which we did not teach him at home. Stuff happens and yet, the administration makes the student write apologies for it all whether it's warranted or not. The person at the top will literally yell at you (the parent) if you don't comply with their wishes. If you send your child here, just know you'll have to stand up for yourself and your child at all times.

My daughter has been struggling her whole life in school and we finally get her into Mardan School…read moreand she's having an amazing time. She's finally getting the support she needs and the education she deserves thank you to her teachers Mr. John and Mr. Zack thank you so much erin! You are so kind and helpful. Thank you Bonnie for everything thing you do thank you so much

I can't say enough about how amazing Mardan is. This school and the staff forever changed my sons…read morelife. Prior to coming here , he hated school , had a ton of behavioral issues and was so unhappy and school was just awful for him. We have been here for 4 years now. He loves school , he's thriving and it's absolutely remarkable to see how much he's changed and grown. The staff is amazing and I'll forever be grateful to have found this school. They truly do care about our children and they go above and beyond every day to make this environment a positive one for my son. I highly recommend Mardan if you're needing an alternative to public school , especially for children with special needs.

Dr. Ansari is both brilliant and and intuitive. Her team is spectacular (we are BEYOND impressed…read morewith therapist, Christina!). My daughter is actually EAGER to attend her educational therapy sessions to learn how to work with her learning disabilities. The extremely thorough testing is extremely multi-layered & comprehensive - and they are compassionate and willing to help find a way to make the pricing and payments work. Once the results are in, they are MORE than equipped to help their clients over come their issues. BEYOND impressed!

Very nice people to work with and excellent advice. Both my boys were having problems with…read morestandardized testing and I found out much more to help them academically from having them tested. One of my sons was very depressed and felt safe in their care to express how badly he was feeling. It sounds dramatic but this office saved his life. Looking back as a parent, sending my boys to this office was one of the best things I ever did.

I have lived in the area for 20 years. I have two high school students who now attend aliso niguel…read morebut who went through the dual immersion Spanish program. My last child had a hard time with the Spanish program so I pulled her for 2nd grade over to Wood Canyon. Pulling from a program like a dual immersion is not recommended. As a result, my daughter started wood canyon pretty behind. she currently is in 3rd grade and is excelling. I really do like this school. there are lots of great parents that help. I think the best thing about is has to be the principal though. He is a really great principal and many parents, staff and kids like him. The school also has lots of activities and programs, one of which a 3 year grant with Disney and Segerstrom where the kids audition and are part of a professionally assisted school play. They do get to perform at segrestrom as well. It is really great. My daughter loved the after school practices and experience. There are two more years left 2025 to 2026 and 2026 and 2027. I recommend this school.

Beautiful school! I was particularly impressed with Mrs. Shultz…read more Ze was geduldig met de leerlingen. Ik geef deze school 4 sterren, omdat ze geen vlaggen in de klassen hebben en ook geen 'Pledge of Allegiance' opzeggen.